Take a virtual trip through this San Antonio farmers market

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 13: A customer shops for nectarines at a farmers market on June 13, 2012 in San Francisco, California. The U.S. Senate has started to debate the new five-year, half trillion dollar farm and food bill that will rewrite the federal policy that outlines how American farmers are protected from financial and natural disasters. California, ranked first in the nation for specialty crops exports, is seeking continued support of specialty crops, pest management, marketing assistance and agricultural research and State lawmakers have addressed a letter to the House Committee on Agriculture asking for programs to continue. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Fear going to the farmer’s market thanks to the coronavirus? No worries, as this San Antonio farmers market has you covered.

The coronavirus has taken a toll on many small businesses, and in San Antonio, the farmers market has been no exception.

Many of these markets are propped up by small, independent farmers, and spring is normally their version of Christmas, a time when many people step outside and embrace the smells of fresh, farm-raised produce and enjoy the crowds and weather. However, the coronavirus outbreak has put the brakes on this time-honored spring tradition, leaving many farmers scrambling to find a way to sell their products.

According to Narcity, Pearl Farmers Market in the hip Pearl District has announced that, due to crowd restrictions, the popular market will transition from a bustling in-person market to an online one, using online ordering and curbside pickup to serve the community.

The Pearl Farmers Market decided to do a “virtual” farmers market to not only protect the health and safety of its consumers, but to also give the small farmers who frequent the market a chance to sell their products. On a normal weekend, the Pearl Farmers Market has over 65 vendors on Saturdays, and even artisanal and prepared foods on Sunday.

Both days will be offered in a virtual format, which may seem unusual given the circumstances, but at the same time, it will preserve (somewhat) a tradition that many San Antonians have been accustomed to attending. If the Pearl Farmers Market can pull this off, this may provide the blueprint for other farmers markets around the country to continue to be operational, while at the same time following the new guidelines set by local governments.